Report: 90,000 miss 1 month of school

A new report says that more than 90,000 elementary students in New York City missed at least one month of classes during the last school year.The report released Tuesday by the New School's Center for New York City Affairs says that the chronic absenteeism was even more pronounced in low-income neighborhoods. The report concludes that chronic absenteeism puts poor and minority students "behind their middle class peers."

City Education Department officials tell the New York Times on Tuesday that attendance has improved.

The report blames chronic absenteeism on health issues, family instability, cultural issues and extended family vacations during the year.

The report is a one-year snapshot and does not include historical data.